Shipping package



June 18, 1968 A. P. JONES SHIPPING PACKAGE Filed Oct. 24, 1966 UnitedStates Patent 3,388,792 SHIPPING PACKAGE Allen P. Jones, Fredericksburg,Va., assignor to FMC Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofDelaware Filed Oct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 589,036 Claims. (Cl. 206-65)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipping package for hollow cylindricalarticles includes an endless sling extending about the peripheries of apair of articles and draped over a support whereby the articles aresuspended in the sling out of contact with the main body of the package.

This invention relates to a shipping package for hollow cylindricalarticles and especially to a package wherein cylindrical articles aresupported in such a way as to avoid or minimize damage thereto duringtransit and/ or storage.

Certain types of cylindrical articles require special packaging to avoiddamage during shipment. For example, large heavy rolls of sheet materialsuch as cellophane are susceptible to telescoping, crushed cores,damaged edges, etc. Since such rolls are wound on a hollow core they maybe classified as thick walled hollow cylinders and it is toward ashipping package for such articles that the present invention isparticularly directed. However, the invention is also useful inconnection with light weight, easily damaged cylindrical articles such,for example, as recording cylinders or tubes, which are susceptible tobreaking and scratching. Thus, as will be apparent from these two ratherextreme examples, the invention is useful with a wide variety of hollowcylindrical articles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved shippingpackage for cylindrical articles wherein the articles are supported insuch a way as to avoid or minimize damage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shipping packagefor cylindrical articles wherein the articles are supported over a largearea of their outer peripheries whereby localized pressures are avoided.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shipping packagefor cylindrical articles wherein the articles are protected from damagewhen the package is turned upside down or on its side.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention as well as themeans for attaining the same will become apparent as the description ofa preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

Referring nOW to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the package;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the package resting on one side;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a load supporting sling encompassinga pair of cylindrical articles before they are placed in the package;and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view illustrating a step in the formation of thepackage.

The package comprises a bottom element supported by a plurality of feetor short legs whereby the tines of a fork lift truck may be slippedtherebeneath. Secured near opposite edges of the bottom element are apair of upstanding supports 12 and 14 extending between which is a crossmember 16. In the package as shown in the drawing, supports 12 and 14are in the form of rods, each of which has adjustably secured thereto acollar 18 upon which cross member 16 rests. A pair of hollow cylindricalarticles such as heavy rolls of sheet material 20 and 22 3,388,792Patented June 18, 1968 ice have extending thereabout a sling or band 24.Band 24 is draped over cross member 16 and said band is long enough topermit two runs thereof to be juxtaposed one another over said crossmember but is short enough so that the articles 20 and 22 are suspendedabove bottom element 10. Sling 24 is preferably about as wide as thecylindrical articles are long whereby localized pressures are avoided.By thus suspending the heavy rolls, the load is distributed over a largearea of the outer peripheries and damage to the core area of the ends ofthe rolls is avoided.

Extending between the supports 12 and 14 above cross member 16 is asecond cross member 26 and a pair of cylindrical articles 28 and 30 aresuspended from this second cross member by a sling 32 similar to thesling 24. Cross member 26 is secured in position after the lower rollsor articles 20 and 22 have been mounted and said cross member issupported on collars 27 adjustably secured to the supports 12 and 16 atsuch a height that suspended rolls 28 and 30 do not reach down intocontact with rolls 20 and 22.

Cross members 16 and 26 preferably have an appreciable width so as toavoid cutting the slings, but they are narrow enough so that the rollsof each pair 20, 22 and 28, 30 hang in contact with one another exceptfor the interposition of the slings therebetween. Thus, the suspendedrolls provide some support for one another in the direction parallelbottom element 10.

Extending upwardly from the four corners of bottom element 10 are rodsor the like 34, 36, 38, and 40 and to the top of these rods is secured atop element 42 similar to bottom element 10. The supports 12 and 14 alsoextend through top element 42 to provide an anchorage for the upper endsthereof. The top 42 may be secured in place by any suitable means suchas nuts screwed onto the various rods as shown.

It will be apparent that the structure thus far described provides aneat suspension for the cylindrical articles so long as the package isin its normal upright position as shown in FIGURES l, 3, and 5. However,especially in the case of relatively light weight packages but also lessoften with heavy packages, the package is apt to be turned upside downor on its side and it will, therefore, also often be necessary ordesirable to provide additional support or protection for the articles,particularly to provide a means for preventing the articles from movingin a direction away from bottom element 10. Toward this end a strap 44is extended through the hollow interior of roll 20 and suitably engagedwith bottom element 10. The bottom element is provided with a pair ofopenings 46 and 48 through which the strap is threaded to engage it withthe bottom element near one end of the roll and with a second similarpair of openings not shown beneath the other end of the roll. Strap 42is drawn taut and secured by any suitable means so that when the packageis turned upside down, movement of roll 20 away from bottom element 10is completely avoided. When the package is turned on a side as shown inFIGURE 2, downward movement of the roll is restrained. A similar strap50 is looped through roll 22 to prevent movement of this roll when thepackage is in other than an upright position.

The upper pair of rolls 28 and 30 are secured to the lower pair of rollsto restrict or prevent movement of the upper pair of rolls when thepackage is in other than an upright position. Thus, a taut strap 52 islooped through rolls 20 and 28 and a taut strap 54 is looped throughrolls 22 and 30, or if desired, strap 52 may be looped through rolls 20and 30 and the strap 54 through rolls 22 and 28.

The number of pairs of rolls or other cylindrical articles which canadvantageously be included in the package is limited primarily by thebulk and weight of the articles. Likewise, the materials and exactmodelof construction may be varied widely. Thus, in the case ofrelatively light weight articles, the whole outer portion of the packagemay be formed of corrugated paper and the corner post 34, 36, 38, and 40may be eliminated. In such case, also, the sides of the carton may serveas supports for the cross members 16 and 26. The drawing does not showside closures for the package but obviously such may be provided. In anyevent, the cylindrical articles themselves are suspended within theouter confines of the package and thus protected from damage duringmovement and storage of the package. Particularly in the case of heavyarticles such as large rolls of cellophane, it will often beadvantageous to make the slings 24 and 32 in the form of discontinuousbands with the ends of each band secured together with a suitablefastener to facilitate loading and unloading.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, what isclaimed is:

1. A shipping package comprising a bottom element, a pair of spacedsupports extending upwardly from said bottom element, a cross memberextending between said supports above said bottom element, a pair ofhollow cylindrical articles extending parallel to said cross member, anda single endless sling extending about the peripheries of said articlesand draped over said cross member, whereby said articles are suspendedabove said bottom element.

2. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said sling is substantiallyas wide as said cylindrical articles are long.

3. The package set forth in claim 2 wherein said sling is long enough topermit two runs thereof to be juxtaposed one another over said crossmember.

4. The package set forth in claim 1 comprising means restrictingmovement of said cylindrical articles in a direction away from saidbottom element.

5. The package set forth in claim 4 wherein said means comprises strapsextending longitudinally through said cylindrical articles and engagedwith said bottom element, said straps being drawn taut whereby saidarticles cannot move away from said bottom element when the package isturned upside down.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,234 9/1915 Hammond 2l7282,424,395 7/1947 Hedges 206 X 2,958,492 11/1960 Maynard 248119 3,084,8034/1963 Bayers 214- X 3,214,015 10/1965 Budd 206-65 MARTHA L. RICE,Primary Examiner.

